Chief Operating Officer - AirTera - Brydon Portfolio Company

AirTera – a Brydon Group portfolio company – is a leading provider of aviation compliance software and services. The company has completed multiple acquisitions, is growing rapidly, and is seeking an exceptional Chief Operating Officer to take the business to the next level. This role partners with the CEO & CFO, with the autonomy to influence all internal operations, enabling the CEO to focus on strategy and external stakeholder relationships in the aviation ecosystem. You’ll act as an integrator - translating strategy into structure, systems, and actions that drive impact.

The right leader for this role is a seasoned operator that thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and can engage effectively at all levels (e.g., from board-level thinking to tactical problem solving) to drive transformation. You translate strategic conversations into actionable roadmaps, proactively identify constraints and opportunities and lead value creation for the organization.

This is a perfect role for a leader eager to be a CEO in the next 5 years, but who wants the experience of owning value creation, and leading a business through exit in the COO seat. This person will gain exposure to the Brydon ecosystem and will be well positioned to lead in a high-growth, PE-backed environment moving forward.

Core Responsibilities

Strategy development and value creation planning:

• Translate AirTera’s strategy into a multi-year operating budget and annual value creation plan (provide clarity on what drives value in the business)
• Define financial targets, operational KPIs, and key initiatives
• Identify what is required to achieve these goals (e.g., investment in people, processes or tools) and build the business case for investment
• Communicate the plan to the Board, ELT, and employees at the right level of detail

Value creation and transformation:

• Take the value creation levers, break them down into milestones, and lead the organization to achieve them in partnership with Sales, Product, Operations & Marketing leaders

• Lead AirTera’s transformation and change management efforts
• Build scalable processes and infrastructure (e.g., pricing, renewals, customer success)
• Oversee pre-acquisition diligence and post-acquisition integration of future acquisitions

Performance management and operational rhythm:

• Run a rigorous business review cycle (QBRs, weekly ELT sessions, board prep)
• Track and drive KPIs, value creation plan and budget adherence
• Provide accountability and support for leaders and teams where variances occur

Strategic initiatives and special projects:

• Identify high-impact projects and own them end-to-end (e.g., new market expansion, re-imagining the customer onboarding journey)
• Support ongoing initiatives with excellent analytics and insights
• Provide coaching and support for functional leaders on their toughest problems

Requirements

• 6+ years of progressive operating leadership (preferably in B2B or SaaS environments), including senior roles in operations, transformation, and/or integration.
• Ideal candidates will likely have a background that includes some experience in management consulting or similar fast-paced, professional services environment
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional transformations
• Strong analytical horsepower - adept at structuring complex problems with messy data, conducting root-cause analysis, and driving to solutions
• Deep understanding of GTM, customer success, and product operations; proven ability to align and optimize across these functions
• Financial acumen across budgeting, forecasting, and scenario planning; capable of tying execution directly to financial outcomes.
• Experience in PE-backed or analogous, high-accountability environments with a focus on value-creation plans and performance acceleration.
• Exceptional communication
• Distinctive influencing skills - combining force of personality with empathy, clarity, and executive presence.
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or equivalent strongly preferred
• Passion for, or experience in, aviation or an adjacent industry will be a huge plus

Location

Washington, DC (with periodic travel as needed to company and customer sites).

Benefits

This is a full-time salaried role with benefits (health, 401(k) access, paid time off). Total compensation will be commensurate with experience; target OTE ~$300,000 with additional equity.